Is it legal for a dog to be in a restaurant?
Before talking about any other issues it’s important to discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a federal statute protecting the rights of disabled Americans in a number of ways, including allowing them to have service dogs with them in public places.
According to the regulations, it is completely legal for a disabled individual to bring a service dog with him into a restaurant. Restaurant owners cannot refuse to serve a disabled patron if it is apparent the animal is indeed a service animal.
It’s also legal for service dogs in training to be taken into public places. In fact, doing so is necessary to acquaint the dog with the public environment so he can learn to focus and do his job even when there are other people milling around, vying for his attention.
Some states have made provisions for those with disabilities to identify their animals through specially marked harnesses or coats. When a service dog is wearing one of these harnesses or coats it makes it much easier for restaurant owners and managers to identify legal service animals.